Inability
by Foolish Moon
Summary: "Because love, as he knows it, lost its meaning when his mother died when he was twelve and the thought that a rabbit proved him otherwise deemed terrifying." Just a little oneshot about Nick and Judy's relationship. CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS!
I wanted to make a fanfiction that's like 95% platonic then 5% romantic with a hint of future possible developments. I adore this pair's relationship and I am so happy that a Disney film actually made them just friends. I do like the idea of them being romantically involved, but I also like them staying as just friends! So I'm okay with both ways. And It's a refreshing kind of relationship. I tried writing differently here so I hope it's okay :)

Reviews are always nice but a fave would be grand enough :) The fact that one would take time to read this is already too much for me

* * *

 **Inability**

He was Nicholas Piberius Wilde, master conniver, smooth, fast-paced talker, a sly, untrustworthy fox. He had lived adjacently to the law for more than two decades. He knows his way around it, has curved along it, and even went over its fence a few too many times to count. He knows the printed rules of the metropolis from cover to cover, page to page, word per word. He plays with it like how he plays with his cards, a little dirty, nonetheless, fair. Everything he wanted went his way, and if it didn't, he'll make for it to do so. With him knowing the mammalian constitution like the back of his paw, he could get away with anything.

Because he's Nicholas Piberius Wilde, a business man, a con artist, a fox. And everything was going great for him.

But then there was Judy Hopps to prove him wrong.

A police officer. A prey. A rabbit. His natural enemy.

An annoyance.

With her tax evasion squabble that caught him off guard. And her small sided smirk that made him feel worse. Adding a laughing Finnick in the picture made it reach unbearable. But it happened and for the first time ever in years, much to his utter dismay, it didn't go his way.

"It's called a hustle, sweet heart."

She laced his exact words right back at him, right back at his pride.

He was Nicholas Piberius Wilde, a predator who knew and knowingly stayed in his place since he was nine. He's aware of the unspoken rule between the mammals in Zootopia. Prey and predators, though they have lived together seemingly peacefully for centuries, deep down, the prejudicial impressions and discriminatory remarks have stayed within their animal reflexes. Because evolution could only change so little within our natural instincts, he believed. And though, as hurtful as it may seem, he accepted the fact. Then he plastered on the indifferent facade. He didn't want to show his weakness, he didn't want to people that they get to him.

Becuase he was Nicholas Piberius Wilde, a fox, a carnivore, a predator. And he knew that the world would stay that way.

Then there was Judy Hopps.

Because for some odd reason, after him getting back at her with the Naturalist club and the incident at DMV with Flash, and her hustling him a second time into helping her more in Tundra town, after she saved their asses from being iced from Mr Big because of one good act she wasn't even expecting a reward from, after him helping her make Mr Manchas open up, and after she saved his life the second time around while he saved her job from that unfair chief of hers, after all of what happened in just 38 hours of banters, teasing, and reluctance, they became friends. Prey and predator, fox and rabbit, natural enemies, together.

Nick couldn't comprehend it and neither did she.

"Nick, you are so much more than that."

He believed it as just words of comfort. Why wouldn't he?

Then she touched his arm and he pulled back.

Because though it felt nice, it felt too foreign, too different, and it scared him. A prey's empathy scared him.

He was Nicholas Piberius Wilde, a witty, slick-headed fox. He knew he knows better than what one's impression of him will be. He's tougher than what he looks, shielding himself from remarks of other animals with his own equally annoying, nonetheless, smart comebacks. He didn't let anyone see that they get to him. And if the world just sees him as a shifty and untrustworthy fox, then there's no point in him to be anything else. That's what he lived by for years too many.

Then, like the dawn in the morning after a terrible storm, there was Judy Hopps.

She believed in him, she acknowledged him.

She might have hurt him at the part it hurts most during the interview, she might have said words too many that went right through him, and she might have proven her instinctual prejudice on him when she motioned for herself to grab the fox-repellent, but she was Judy Hopps.

A police officer. A prey. A rabbit. His natural enemy. His friend.

"..a-and after we're done, you can hate me. A-and I-I'll be fine, because I was a horrible friend and I hurt you.."

Nick fought the urge to turn around. Her stuttering and the obvious presence of tears made his chest wrench.

"A-and you can walk away.."

I couldn't, he thought.

"Knowing that you were right, all along. I really am just a dumb bunny."

Then a click of rewind. Then her voice. Then his signature smirk. Then her wiping her tears.

"Oh you bunnies, so emotional."

And it was true. And he was thankful to have a reason to hold her close to him.

Nicholas Piberius Wilde wasn't the kind to give hugs. He wasn't the type to accept apologies. When someone wronged him, he would just walk away and throw that relationship out of the window without any second thoughts.

But she was Judy Hopps. And for once, through her, he felt loved. And for once, he was afraid of losing someone.

Because love, as he knows it, lost its meaning when his mother died when he was twelve and the thought that a rabbit proved him otherwise deemed terrifying. But he was willing to take the risk.

Because she was Judy Hopps.

•••••••••

Months have passed and years will come.

And he was her partner, and she was his.

He was Nicholas Piberius Wilde, an ex con-artist, a police man, and her best friend. And there will always be questions he'd rather keep to himself, and answers she will never be able to say. And the world will eye them, the world will question them, this relationship that they have built.

And he was still scared. Because maybe, **maybe** , it's the inability to accept that the little bunny was more precious to him than what his pride would let on. And It's not that he was ashamed, if anything, he believed it almost impossible and far too ambitious.

But she was Judy Hopps.

She proved him wrong before, and he knows that she'll prove him wrong some more.

So he took the risk to make her answer one of his most impending questions through the style he knows best.

"You know you love me."

He wanted to hear it with her own words.

"Do I know that?"

Then she turned to him with that smug face of hers again.

"Yes, yes I do."

A small smile of appreciation plastered on his face.

And he loved her back. And he will continue to do so and hopefully, she would too.

Because he was Nicholas Piberius Wilde, her partner, her 'sweetheart', her best friend.

And she was Judy Hopps, his partner, his carrots, and his new beginning.

And everything didn't go the way he planned it to be. And he was thankful.


End file.
